The Muʿtazilism of al-Zamakhsharī: A Bahshamī or a Ḥusaynī?

Abstract

Al-Zamakhsharī’s Muʿtazilī identity is undisputed, aside from a few isolated assertions or inquiries to the contrary. In fact, alongside historical records that depict him as a loyal Muʿtazilī and even a propagandist for his madhhab, the opinions he expressed and the approaches he employed in his works serve as evidence for this claim. The two Muʿtazilī schools that operated during his time in the Muslim world, in particular in his own region of Khwārazm, were the Bahshamiyyah and the Ḥusayniyyah. Considering this fact, in terms of his theological identity, it could be asserted either that he is a member of one of the Bahshamī or Ḥusaynī schools or that he positions himself “in search of a broadly based, catholic Muʿtazilism” instead of taking a clear stand. This study, while providing partial evidence for the latter claim, argues that his Ḥusaynī identity is rather evident from his ideological stance and opinions.